Steve Brauner is not a musician, but his lamps are rockin’. The Old Metairie cabinetmaker-turned-artist is breathing new life into old musical instruments that he finds at estate sales and on eBay by transforming them into one-of-kind lamps and candelabras.

“As an artist, I sometimes get an ‘ah-ha’ moment, while other times my ideas evolve over time. There was a little bit of both in this endeavor,” Brauner says. “The first instrument I repurposed was a flute because it just seemed like a lamp — tall and slender like a candlestick. After that there was a clarinet, followed by a guitar. That one was tricky because I felt it was important to maintain the integrity of the instrument. Once a few lamps started taking shape, the challenge became thinking of what to do next. Now it’s hard to watch a band and not think of ways that I could ‘enlighten’ their instruments!”

Perhaps Brauner’s most extraordinary creation is a stand-alone piece made from a snare drum. The drum itself makes a table, with a glass top that sits atop a high hat stand with lighting mounted inside thecymbals.

Concerning his artistic training, Brauner credits years of studying

graphic arts as well as good genes. He hails from a long line of artists including two uncles, an aunt, and a grandfather who spent years painting at the gates of Jackson Square, which explains his passion for creating pieces that capture the Big Easy spirit.

“From my lamps to my streetcar paintings to my oyster art, all of my art reflects the personality of New Orleans,” Brauner says. “I can see many new facets of growth through the city’s multicultural background, and the instrument lamps are just one segment of my appreciation for the culture. Music is as much a part of New Orleans as gumbo.”

— Margaret Zainey Roux

Steve Brauner’s instrument lamps range from $170-$500 and can be purchased at Boundless Shipping/Cutee Patootie Gifts located at 1511 Metairie Road, 504.309.8628, or at www.stevestreetcar.com. Custom lighting is also available.